Slush pump cylinder closing means



June 27, 1967 R. A. PANGBURN 3,327,643

SLUSH PUMP CYLINDER CLOSING MEANS Filed Aug. 22, 1966 RAYMOND A. PANGBURN INVENTOR.

W/KW

AGENT United States Patent 3,327,643 SLUSH PUMP CYLINDER CLOSING MEANS Raymond A. Pangburn, R0. Box 94364, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73169 Filed Aug. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 573,967 2 Claims. (Cl. 103-216) The present invention is a cont-muat-ion-impart of my copending applications Ser. No. 420,082, filed Dec. 21, 1964, now Patent No. 3,277,837 for Pump Cylinder Closing Means, and Ser. No, 437,125, filed Mar. 4, 1965, for Slush Pump Valve Pot Cover.

This invention is an improvement over the above referred to applications by providing a splined plug and lock ring cooperating with a pressure cap and an adjusting bolt for engaging a pump cylinder liner.

Slush pumps of relatively large capacity are conventional equipment in oil well drilling and are used for circulating the drilling fluid. These pumps have generally cylindrical-shaped upwardly open intake and exhaust fluid transferring bodies, commonly called valve pots which are respectively equipped with fluid intake and exhaust valves. The valve pots are in fluid communication with respective pump cyclinders, the latter each having a reciprocating piston. The slush pump cylinder is closed at the head end of the pump by bolted on head including a central threaded stud bolt engageable with a plug or head member in turn contacting a liner spool which holds the cylinder liner in place and spreads packing into sealing relation with the wall of the cylinder. The liner packing becomes compressed during operation of the pump and permits longitudinal movement of the liner spool and liner in response to the reciprocating action of the pump piston which results in excessive wear of the mating parts.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide an improved closing means for slush pump cylinders which may be quickly and easily assembled and removed to service the pump.

Another object is to provide a cover for a pump cylinder including a single bolt and nut which is connected in a novel manner with the head end of the pump cylinder.

Yet another object is to provide a device of this class which may be connected with an existing slush pump or incorporated in the design of slush pump bodies to be manufactured with a relatively simple change thereof.

A further object is to provide a device of this class wherein tightening the bolt or n-ut selectively applies pressure to the cylinder liner spool or the liner.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by connecting cooperating splined means to the open end of a slush pump cylinder which engages and bears against the liner spool.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying single sheet of drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the head end portion of a slush pump cylinder having the device installed thereon;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective View of the com ponents of the invention shown in FIG. 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating an alternative embodiment.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral indicates a fragment of the fluid end of a conventional slush pump having a body portion 12 and a cylinder 14 therein which receives a liner 16 in which a piston 18 is reciprocated. The body 12 is provided with an enlarged head end opening 20 coaxial with respect to the cylinder 14 for receiving a liner spool 22. The body 12 is further counterbored, as at 24, which is intersected by the conventional valve pot opening 26. The liner spool 22 is provided with openings 28 to provide communication between the cylinder liner and the valve pot opening 26. The body 12 is circumferentially enlarged around the liner 16 adjacent the inward end of the liner spool to form an annular shoulder 30. The liner 16 is provided with an annular flange 32 adjacent the head end of the pump. Packing 34 is interposed between the liner flange 32 and the body shoulder 30. This packing 34 must be compressed by movement of the liner flange 32 toward the shoulder to form a seal between the liner and pump body which is accomplished in the following manner.

The conventional cylinder head, not shown, is removed and replaced by a lock ring 40. The lock ring is provided with a central opening 42 diametrically substantially greater than the diameter of the counterbore 20. The inner wall of the lock ring 40 is provided with an inwardly extending annular flange 44 forming a shoulder 46 in spaced relation with respect to the head end of the pump body 12. The inside diameter of the flange 44 is substantially equal with respect to the diameter of the counterbore 20. The flange 44 is provided with a series of diametrically opposite slots 48 to form a series of splines 49. Bolts and nuts 50 connect the lock ring 40 to the body 12 coaxial with respect to the cylinder opening 14. Alternatively the configuration of the lock ring may be cut into the head end portion of the body 12 if suflicient body material is present.

Cylinder opening plug means 52, having a circumferential row of cooperating splines 54, intermediate its ends, freely received by the spline forming slots 48, is placed within the lock ring 40. The diameter of the plug means 52, exclusive of the splines 54, is substantially less than the diameter of the counterbore 20 for the reasons presently apparent. The spline 54 of the plug 52 are dimensioned so that they slide freely between the splines 49 of the lock ring and are freely received between the lock ring splines 49 and the adjacent end surface of the body 12 so that the plug 52 may be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the cylinder 14 to position its splines 54 in respective alignment with the splines 49 of the lock ring. The plug 52 is centrally bored and threaded, as at 56, for the purposes presently explained.

A pressure plate or cap 58, diametrically substantially equal to the counterbore 20, is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart legs or fingers which are cooperatingly received slidably between the aligned splines 49 and 54 of the plug and ring. The length of the fingers 60 is substantially greater than the length of the plug 52. The free ends of the fingers 60 are welded to a pressure ring 62 which surounds the inwardly projecting end portion of the plug 52 within the counterbore 20.

The adjacent end portion of the liner spool 22 is diametrically reduced to form an annular shoulder 64 which receives a packing spreader ring 66. A packing ring 68 is interposed between the spreader ring 66 and the pressure ring 62.

A threaded bolt or shaft 70 projects through the bore of the cap 58 and is threadedly engaged with the plug threads 56. The inward end of the shaft 70, when tightened, thus bears against the outwardly disposed end of the liner spool 22 thus forcing its inner end portion toward the liner 16. The inward end portion of the liner spool 22 is provided with a rabbitted edge -72 for cooperative engagement with the outwardly projecting or head end of the liner 16 for a metal to metal contact. Pressure applied to the liner spool 22 by the shaft 70 thus moves the liner 16 inwardly and compresses the packing 34 to form a seal with the body 12. A nut 73, threadedly engaged with the shaft 70, is tightened against the pressure cap 58 to force the pressure cap inwardly and force the pressure ring 62 against the packing ring 68 which is spread by the spreader ring 66 for forming a seal between the outer end portion of the liner spool 22 and the counterbore 20.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 3, identical parts shown bear identical reference numerals. The liner 16A is provided with an annular shoulder 32A spaced away from the end of the liner contacting the liner spool 22A. The liner spool 22A is diametrically substantially equal to the diameter of the liner 16A and is surrounded by a sleeve 80 which contacts, at its inner end, similar packing 34A surrounding the liner 16A adjacent the forward surface of the annular liner flange 32A. The spreader ring 66 and packing ring 68 are interposed between the other end of the sleeve 80 and the pressure ring 62. The sleeve 80 is similarly provided with slots or openings 82 which communicate with the liner spool openings 28A. Thus when the shaft 70 is tightened the liner spool 22A bears against the adjacent end of the liner 16A to force its ring 32A into contact with the body shoulder 30. Tightening the nut 73 forces the pressure cap 53 and its pressure ring 62 against the packing ring 68 in turn moving the sleeve 80 into contact with the liner packing 34A to simultaneously form a positive seal between the liner 16 and the body 12 and between the liner spool 22A and the counterbore 20.

Operation When installing the device on an existing slush pump the cylinder head, not shown, is removed and the lock ring 40 is installed in its place. The liner 16 and its packing 34 is inserted into the cylinder. The liner spool 22 is positioned adjacent the outwardly disposed end of the liner. The spreader ring 66 and packing ring 68 are positioned on the outwardly disposed end of the liner spool. Prior to assembly the pressure cap 58 is placed on the plug, 52 and the free ends of the pressure cap fingers 60 are welded to the pressure ring 62. This assembled unit, pressure cap 58, plug 52, and pressure ring 62, are then positioned within the lock ring 40. The plug 52 and pressure cap 58 are then rotated to align the splines 54 of the plug with the splines 49 of the lock ring 40. The shaft 70 is .then screwed into the plug 52 and tightened against the liner spool 22. The nut 73, normally in place on the shaft 70, is then tightened against the pressure cap 58. The device is removed by reversing the above described installation.

The alternative embodiment of FIG. 3 is installed in the identical manner with the exception that the sleeve 30 is installed prior to installation of the liner spool 22A.

It seems obvious that, when constructing new pumps, the slotted or splined lock ring 40 may be formed integral with the pump body.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than 'I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a pump having a body, a cylinder opening outwardly of said body, a liner in said cylinder, a liner spool bearing against said liner, the combination of: lock ring means secured to said body coaxial with respect to said cylinder, said lock ring means including an inwardly projecting splined flange disposed in spaced relation with respect to the outwardly open end of said cylinder, said splined flange defining a diameter at least as great as the diameter of said cylinder; plug means closing the open end of said cylinder and lockably engaging said lock ring means, said plug means being substantially cylindrical and provided with a circumferential row of splines cooperatingly received by the splines in said lock ring means; and means engaged with said plug means for moving said liner and said liner spool toward sealing contact with said cylinder, the last said means including a shaft extending coaxially through and threadedly connected with said plug means, a pressure cap surrounding said shaft outwardly of said plug means, said pressure cap having a plurality of fingers projecting through the splines on said plug means, and a nut threadedly engaged with said shaft outwardly of said pressure cap.

2. Structure as specified in claim 1 and packing surrounding the adjacent end portion of said liner and said liner spool forming a seal between said liner and said liner spool and the body, respectively, upon rotation of said shaft and said nut, respectively.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,036,124 5/1962 Wilson l()32l6 3,037,460 6/1962 Guest et al l0-32l6 3,137,216 6/1964 Aytes 9217l ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A PUMP HAVING A BODY, A CYLINDER OPENING OUTWARDLY OF SAID BODY, A LINER IN SAID CYLINDER, A LINER SPOOL BEARING AGAINST SAID LINER, THE COMBINATION OF: LOCK RING MEANS SECURED TO SAID BODY COAXIAL WITH RESPECT TO SAID CYLINDER, SAID LOCK RING MEANS INCLUDING AN INWARDLY PROJECTING SPLINED FLANGE DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO THE OUTWARDLY OPEN END OF SAID CYLINDER, SAID SPLINED FLANGE DEFINING A DIAMETER AT LEAST AS GREAT AS THE DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDER; PLUG MEANS CLOSING THE OPEN END OF SAID CYLINDER AND LOCKABLY ENGAGING SAID LOCK RING MEANS, SAID PLUG MEANS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL AND PROVIDED WITH A CIRCUMFERENTIAL ROW OF SPLINES COOPERATINGLY RECEIVED BY THE SPLINES IN SAID LOCK RING MEANS; AND MEANS ENGAGED WITH SAID PLUG MEANS FOR MOVING SAID LINER AND SAID LINER SPOOL TOWARD SEALING CONTACT WITH SAID CYLINDER, THE LAST SAID MEANS INCLUDING A SHAFT EXTENDING COAXIALLY THROUGH AND THREADEDLY CONNECTED WITH SAID PLUG MEANS, A PRESSURE CAP SURROUNDING SAID SHAFT OUTWARDLY OF SAID PLUG MEANS, SAID PRESSURE CAP HAVING A PLURALITY OF FINGERS PROJECTING THROUGH THE SPLINES ON SAID PLUG MEANS, AND A NUT THREADEDLY ENGAGED WITH SAID SHAFT OUTWARDLY OF SAID PRESSURE CAP. 